Shoe tree holder



, April 27, 1943. BRACE 2,317,516

SHOE-TREE HOLDER Filed Sept. 10, 1941 EDWIN FER/OCE,

e Ma a Patented Apr. 27, 1943 UNITED SYIATEF: ()FFIQE SHGE TREE HOLDER Edwin T. Brace, Warrenton, Mo.

Application September 10, 1941, Serial No. 410,307

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a shoe tree holder.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shoe tree holder adapted to hold a pair of shoes suspended from a wall on the inner side of a closet or other similar surface. In such a way the shoes are always conveniently arranged and kept in shape by the action of the shoe trees.

A further object is that the shoes are kept in pairs associated with one another and they can be mounted in a position where they are readily accessible without the wearer stooping to pick them up.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 illustrates a pair of shoes mounted on the shoe trees in a vertical position.

Figure 2 illustrates the shoe trees of the shoes removed. This is a front elevation of the shoe trees.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the shoe trees showing the method of mounting upon a vertical surface.

Figure 4 is a section on the line :l-- i of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a similar section to Figure 4 showing a modified form of mounting of the shoe trees.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, partially in section, showing another form of modified mounting of the shoe trees.

One of the problems in connection with shoe trees is to provide a firm support for not only supporting the shoes but for stretching them. This necessitates making the shoe tree of such heavy material as to be both bulky and difiicult to insert in the shoe and difi'icult to handle. Such a shoe tree of the prior art had to be self supporting. It had to have not only a support but the yielding members for stretching the shoe. The present invention eliminates this heavy independent support for each shoe tree for each shoe by providing a central or unitary support for both shoe trees so that the shoe tree proper, thus supported, can perform its true function of stretching and supporting the shoe with a minimum of structure insertable in the shoe. A further advantage is that it so supports the shoe that the shoe is easily polished and cared for while mounted in the vertical position on the shoe tree.

Referring to the drawing in detail, I is a wall support as for instance on the inside of a closet. 2 is a horizontally disposed supporting standard or bracket. This bracket consists of a base portion 3, a hollow sleeve portion 4, a recess or slotted head portion 5, a cap portion 6 and a retaining screw '1' the head of which engages the cap portion 6, the shank of which extends through the sleeve portion t and the screw portion of which engages with the support I into which it is threaded or screwed. The recess head 5 is provided with a sleeve 8. The cap 5 is mounted over this sleeve in spaced relationship with the sleeve 8. The cap 5 is provided with an enlarged recess 9. The resilient shoe tree stretching member consisting of flexible plates Ii! and II are mounted with their inner faces parallel to the reduced sleeve 8 and their edges inserted within the recesses of the head 5 and the recess 9 of the cap plate 6. Thus these plates are firmly anchored when the support 2 is assembled, so as toprovide for lateral flexibility of the members It and II while supplying a common support for these members adjacent their immediate portion. The members It and II can pivot or flex about this support so that the shoes can be readily mounted upon each one of these supports or flexible members It) and. I I. Each flexible member is provided with a toe portion I2 or I3 and a heel portion I 4 or I5. Such portions engage the inside of the toe and theheel of the shoe when mounted upon the shoe trees.

One of the advantages of this invention is that the shoe tree support, when the shoes are not mounted upon them, assume a narrow, parallel position so as to present a minimum of interference to other articles that may be adjacent to them such as clothing.

Referring to the modification shown in Figure 5, it will be observed that the support I supports the base 3 and sleeve 2 which is recessed at 5a on the inside of the sleeve 4 at its outer end. This recessed portion 5a receives the members I0 and II. A shoulder cap screw is mounted upon the supporting screw I. This cap screw is designated at 6a. Its shoulder I6 engages with the outer edges of the members I!) and II.

The modification shown in Figure 6 consists of a pressed metal U- haped plate attached to the support wall I, the screws I'I attaching the legs I8 of the U-shaped plate to the wall I while the arms I9 connected together at 20 form a U- shaped support for the flexible shoe supporting members I0 and I I which are clamped between them at their outer ends by using a bolt 2| with a head 22 and a wing nut 23 for adjusting the clamping eifect of the arms I9 on the members I!) and II. With this adjustment it is possible, as with the adjustment in the preceding construction shown in Figures 4 and 5, to position vertically the shoe tree supporting members I!) and H as may be desired according to the length and size of the shoes. One of the advantages of this invention is that this vertical adjustment may be affected of the shoe trees. The shoe trees, while flexible are independent of one another so that shoes can be mounted independently of one another, are nevertheless so arranged that this unitary support gives adequate rigidity for stretching the shoes while at the same time providing for the minimum of shoe tree stretching members which must be inserted in the shoe.

It will be understood that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as come within the scope of the claims and the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1. The combination, in a shoe supporting assembly, of a common shoe tree supporting means comprising a retaining screw means, a bracket with a base and sleeve, a retaining means associated with the end of said bracket for engaging detachably a pair of vertically disposed parallel flexible members with shoe engaging means on the ends thereof, each bracket which carries a pair of flexible members being adapted to be individually mounted on a wall.

2. The combination, in a shoe supporting assembly for mounting on a wall of a horizontally disposed support comprising a base plate and sleeve, the outer end of which is recessed to receive shoe supporting members, a pair of parallel disposed flexible shoe supporting members mounted on the outer end of said sleeve, 9. com mon retaining screw, a cap plate engaging with said retaining screw and said shoe supporting members whereby the common retaining screw passing through said sleeve and cap plate is screwed into said wall, supports the entire assembly and retains the shoe supporting members in clamping engagement with said support, each support which carries a pair of flexible shoe supporting members being adapted to be individually mounted on said wall.

3. The combination, in a shoe supporting means for mounting on a, wall of a bracket comprising a basic portion and a horizontally disposed sleeve portion having a recessed outer end, a headed screw extending through said sleeve and screwed into said wall, a cap member engaged by said screw and overlapping a portion of said sleeve, a pair of shoe supporting plates engaged between said sleeve and said cap member whereby said shoe supporting members are detachably clamped at adjustable positions with respect to the length thereof as to adjustably support shoes mounted on said shoe supporting members, each bracket which carries a pair of shoe supporting plates being adapted to be individually mounted on said wall.

EDWIN T. BRACE. 

